Lost Cities review

Thames & Kosmos | Family card game | £12.99 | 2 players | 30 minutes | www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk 

Have you ever fancied being Indiana Jones? Don’t lie, of course you have. The whip, the cool hat, all the glamorous locations… being an explorer like Indiana Jones would be sweet. Look, just forgot about all the Nazis and that face melting Ark of the Covenant stuff, being Indiana Jones is something everyone wants. Well, just in case you don’t fancy taking on evil Nazis or terrible CGI aliens (Crystal Skull we’re looking at you) then Lost Cities is a great way to scratch your exploration itch, plus it’s a super game for two-players.

Each player takes on the role of a team of explorers heading to all kinds of dangerous territories, like the desert, a volcano, the depths of the ocean, a jungle and the chilly Himalayas. Each location is given a different colour (yellow, red, blue, green and white respectively) and there are 10 large cards showing places in each colour, along with three special ‘handshake’ cards that multiply your score. The normal cards are numbered one to 10 and players must complete expeditions by placing cards on their side of a game board. The only thing is that each coloured expedition card must be higher than the last card placed in that section, e.g. a four could follow a two or a three but could not be placed after a six.

The strategy comes into play when plotting how to scupper your opponent by holding onto the cards they may need, while also completing your own expeditions. What’s more, you’ve got  to weigh up whether it’s worth starting multiple expeditions because they all cost 20 points, which comes off your total score. This is a great tactical game for two players but remember to dig out a calculator for the slightly unwieldy final scoring phase!

Buy your copy here.

Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products.